Improvement in boot-stretchers



N- PETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, n c.

waited faire ISAAC V. MYERS, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VLetters Patent No. 111,137, dated Januaryll, 1871.

IMPVROVEMENT `IN BOOT-STRETCH ERS.

'The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making partl of the same.

To 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC W.' MYERS, of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boot-stretching Lasts; and I do decla-re that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon and being a part of p this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the same, with one of lche side-plates removed, and a portion of the remaining one broken out, to show lthe action of the wedge against its rib;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section; and

Figure 4' is a plan, with instep-plate and side-plates removed, and the upper section of the last broken out, to show the interior arrangemeutof the various parts.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

'The nature of this invention relates to an improvement in boot-stretching lasts, and consists in the 'novel and peculiar construction `and 'arrangement of its various parts for that purpose, as more fully hereinafter set Iforth.

In the drawing- A represents a metallic skeleton of the lower part of .the last, constructed in the form shown.

B isa sliding heel-piece, whose shank moves in a longitudinal slot in the hollow heel ot' the last.

On the top 'of the heel-piece is a worm-rack, c, with which meshes a worm, c', on the under side'of the disk B lying on the shank ofthe heel-piece, and whose shaft projects up through thc heel, squared at the top, so as to be rotated by a socketwrench. The rotation of theworm-disk' moves the heel-piece out or iu.

In the front part of the part A is au upward-projecting stud, l, and just to thc rear of the ball of the foot is another one, c, into which is socketed the peint of a screw, C, whose head projects out of an inclined wall just in advance of the heel.

I) is a slotted toe-piece, sliding in the foi-ward part of the skeleton foot, and provided with arms, D', pivoted at the rear corners, said arms having swiveled 'in their rear ends a nut, C', through whichthe screw C is threaded.

The rear part of the slot in the body of the toe slide is an inclined plane, d.

The construction and arrangement of the foregoing i parts are such that, by rotating .the disk B', the heelpiecc is caused to move out of the heel and push the last forward into the boot; and, by rotating the screw C,- the toe-piece is pushed forward'out of the last.

E is a wedge, lying on the sl1ank.'ot` ,the slide, and slides freely thereon.

I are wings'or side-pieces, curved to the outliueof' the foot, and are provided in their broadest part with an internal vertical rib, I1". They are hinged at their rear ends to the front corners of the heel of the part A.

. G may be termed the upper section or instep of the last, and is secured to ,the part A by a screw, e, passing up through the bottom .of the front part ot' the foot, and entering a projection, G1, on'its front part, which passes through the slot in the toe-slide.

G2 is an angle of the part at the rear end, and is secured to the inclined wall of the part A by proper screws.

The screw C passes through the angle, which, when adjusted, has the upper part of the screw-hole drop into anannular recess in the neck of the screw, and thereby prevents theplatter from being drawn out.

fis a stud depending from the under side of the part G, about midway of its length, and is socketed to reccivethe point ofthe screw H, whose head is journaled in the angle-plate G2, in the maunerjust described. l

I is a nut, swivelcd in the rear ends of the arms I', whose front ends interlock with the wedge E, so that, when the screw is rotated to move the nut forward, the advance ofthe wedge will throw outward the wings Il, and thus stretch the boot iu width across the foot.

J is the instep-plate proper. It has pivoted Vunder l its front end a prop, K, passing down through a hole in the section G behind the stud b of the lower section, which serves as a brace to it. The lower end of the pr'op'is beveled, and usually rests on thelower endet the inclined plane of the toe-slide.

L is a nut swiveled in the rearend of the instepplate, and has threaded therein the screw M, whose lower end rests in a recess or step in the back end of the section G. By rotating the screw M the rear of' the instep-plate may be raised, while the front end is lso raised `if the toelpieccvis projectedibrward, by reason of'its inclined plane passing under the prop.

N are lumps or movable bosses, which are placed ou'the various parts of the .device,in such localities as ,mayv be necessary to meet the requirements of growersof corns, buuions, and other enlargements of the feet.

For convenience in operating, the screws ane cut with lett-hand threads, and are all squared on their heads, to be rotated by a 'socket-wrench, O.

It will beA seen that with the device any size of boot, from number four to number twelve, may be stretched in any part or all over, and that the last maybe adjusted-in the boot before commencing to stretch in any part, so that a pressure be exerted on that place or part alone of the boot requiring t0 be stretched. l

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl.A The skeleton foot-piece,A, constructed as described, and the heel-piece vB, disk B', Worm a', and

rack a, arranged and operating as and lfor the purpose set forth.

or strain may 2. The boot-stretching last, composed of the skeleton A, the heel B, disk-B,'serew C, toe-piece D, wedge E,

wings F, instep G, screw H, nut I, plate J screw M,

and bosses N, whe-1 1- the parts are severally .constructed and arranged as described and shown, and as and for the purposes set forth.

v ISAAC W. MYERS. Witnesses:

SAM. J. SPRAY, FREDERICK EBERTS. 

